Value streams and complexity thinking

Value streams vs the value chain

The value chain is workflows as designed: the blueprint. A value stream is the sequence of steps actually performed in response to a specific trigger, crossing organizational boundaries end to end.

• Core streams serve external consumers, per the operating model. They directly touch consumers during co-creation and delivery.
• Enabling streams serve internal customers supporting the core streams, and they never interface with external consumers (supplier onboarding, procurement).

Value stream mapping analyzes cycle time and wait time to squeeze out waste.

Complexity thinking

New in ITIL 5: match the execution pattern to the context instead of running one process out of habit.

• Ordered: predictable, cause and effect known. The pattern is Implement: appraise, plan, do, study, act.
• Complex: cause and effect visible only in hindsight. The pattern is Discover: bound, design, run, examine, distil (hypothesis testing, experiments).
• Chaotic: turbulent, no clear cause and effect. Act immediately to establish order and stabilize.
• Confused: you don’t yet know which context you’re in. Explore until the real context emerges.